Means for cleaning dispensing systems



Dee. l0, 1935. sl PETRICQNE 2,023,854

MEANS FOR CLEANING DISPENSING SYSTEMS Filed April 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Dec. l0, 1,935:

UNITED STATES MEANS FOR CLEANING DISPENSING SYSTEMS Sabatino Petricone, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 9, 1935, Serial No. 15,439

Claims.

My invention relates to means for cleaning the piping, coils and tubing used in connection with dispensing systems for dispensing beer and other beverages.

It is well known that the inner faces of pipes and their coils which convey beer in dispensing systems become coated and slimy, thereby deleteriously aiecting the beer and causing clogging of the pipes and their coils. Hence it is customary to periodically clean the insides of the pipes and coils of dispensing systems.

This cleaning is usually accomplished by flushing the pipes and coils with steam. This method is cumbersome and expensive, because a device for generating and injecting steam under pressure is necessarily complicated, and it also entails the use of heat with its accompanying danger of l'lre, and its conveyance. It also results in baking deleterious foreign matter in the coating and slime upon said inner faces, and in failure to properly hygienically clean said faces.

It is t-he object of my invention to avoid these objections, and to provide means whereby the insides of the pipes and coils are cleaned by novel successive treatments.

My invention consists in novel means for flushing the pipes of a dispensing system with water, introducing compressed air into the water, for agitating the same and increasing its ow, introducing a cleaning agent, preferably having an alkaline base, dissolved in water, into the pipes and circulating the same therein, introducing compressed a-ir into such cleaning solution, removing the cleaning solution, and again flushing the pipes with water; and, further, in novel means for subjecting the pipes of a dispensing system to successive novel treatments in novel manner to clean the same.

My invention consists further in providing novel arrangements for connecting the piping for circulation of cleaning liquid therein; further, in providing novel means for controlling the direction of ilow'of cleaning liquid; further, in providing novel means for creating and controlling trie introduction of compressed air into the cleaning liquid; further, in providing novel means for introducing a cleaning compound; further, in providing novel means for circulating the same; and, further, in providing a novel arrangement ci means for introducing and controlling successive cleaning agencies in the dispensing system wherewith to clean said system.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the'drawing-s, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is an elevational perspective view of an ordinary dispensing system for beer shown in connection with my improved cleaning means and arranged to be cleaned by my improved method, partly in section and partly broken away. 5

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pump and controlling means used in connection with my improved cleaning means, taken in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and partly broken away. l0

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1, and partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of the same, taken in the plane of the irregular line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and partly broken away.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of a further detail of the same, taken in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and partly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of a detail, taken 20 in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the coupling means for the pipes taken in the plane of the line 1 -1 of Fig. 1 and,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the 25 coupling between one of the hoses and one of the beer faucets, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. l.

In the present invention it is intended to use a flow of liquid fed through the `pipes and their coils to be cleaned, with sufficient velocity to remove the larger amount of obstructing foreign matter clinging to the insides of the pipes. The remaining foreign matter is then completely removed and the pipes thoroughly cleansed by introducing a cleaning agent into the pipes and circulat-ing the same through all of the pipes.

Rinsing uids are then fed through the pipes for expelling the cleaning agent and rinsing the pipes preparatory to their re-use.

To clearly show the application of my improved cleaning method, there is exemplified in Fig. 1 an ordinary dispensing system for beer.

A bar or stand ll is shown provided with a number of beer faucets l2. Although three of the same are shown in the present exemplication, it is understood lthat one or any number of the same may be present, and my improved device is applicable to a system comprising any number of faucets.

The bar Il is also provided with a shelf I3 on 50 which glasses and similar receptacles are supported preparatory to and while being filled from the faucets, and having a drain box I4 thereunder. The bar is shown as extending to the floor i5 beneath which are the kegs or similar con- 55 tainers I6 of beer. The kegs are usually positioned on the floor of the room beneath the one containing the bar, which room is usually the basement or cellar.

There are pipes l1 connecting the faucets l2 with the kegs and provided at their lower ends with exible connecting portions I8 having coupling members E9 for connecting the same to the kegs. Threaded extensions on attachments 2| on the kegs are shown to which the coupling members |9 are tted. Each of the attachments comprises a tube 22 with which the llexible portion of 4the pipe communicates and which extends to substantially the bottom of the keg.

A pipe 23 connected to a suitable source of gas under pressure, such as a tank of compressed carbon dioxide gas or air, is provided with a shutorf valve 24 and with flexible branch tubes 25 arranged to be connected to the attachments 2l on the kegs and 'communicating with the top of the inside of the kegs for applying pressure on topof the beer in the kegs and causing the same to flow upwardly through the pipes |1 -to the faucets.

Near the faucets, the pipes |1 are provided with coils 26 forming continuations of the pipes and located in an inclosure or box 21 in the interior of the bar. Ice may be packed in the inclosure or box about the coils for cooling the beer. A usual water faucet 28 is provided on or near the bar to supply rinsing water for' the glasses.

The cleaning means comprises a pump 29 having a pump chamber 39 in a hollow cylinder 3|, securely fastened at itsn lower end to prevent leakage, as by welding, a recess 32, in a base 33, and provided at its upper end with a 'cap 34, removably secured to the cylinder in manner to prevent leakage. The base is provided with foot flanges on which the operator stands when using the pump. A piston 36 is arranged for reciprocating movement within the compression chamber and is secured to the lower end of a rod 31. The upper end of the rod is provided with a handle 38 threaded thereto.

The piston 36 comprises a disk 39 threaded over the reduced threaded end 40 of the piston rod against a shoulder 4| on the rod. The lower face of the disk forms a seat 42 for a valve 43. A valve guide 44 is screwed over the threaded end 49 of the piston rod against the disk 39, and is provided with radial wings 45 between which grooves 46 are located, the grooves extending throughout the height of the guide.

The lower ends of the wings have radially extending anges 41 forming stops for the lower end of the valve 43. Y

The valve 43 comprises a sleeve 48 which is shorter than the space between the disk 3 9 and the flanges 41 and reciprocates on the outer edges of the wings 45. Its upper end is provided with an annular valve-rib 49 which coacts with the valve seat'42 for closing passage through the grooves 46, the lower ends of which are continuously open to the space in the cylinder 3| under the piston 36. When the piston is moved downwardly the valve 43 is closed, and when the piston is moved upwardly the valve is open.

The outer periphery of the sleeve is threaded as shown at 50, its upper end being provided with an annular flange 5| below the valve-rib 49. A cup washer 52 has an inwardly extending flange 53. A collar 54 is threaded over the threaded portion of the sleeve. Ihe lflange 53 of the cup washer is clamped between the ilange 5| and the collar 54.

The cup washer is of flexible material, for instance, leather. There is an annular space 55 between the skirt of the cup washer and the lower end of the sleeve. When the piston is moved downwardly the cup washer is spread by the pressure thereunder for frictional engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder for pushing the uid thereunder out of 4the lower end of the cylinder and 'creating suction above the piston. When the piston is moved upwardly the skirt ci the cup Washer collapses for forming a passage between it and the wall of the cylinder.

The recess 32 in the bottom wall of the compression chamber connects with a passage 56 in the base. This passage terminates in another recess 51 in the base. A tube 58 is securely held to the wall of the recess 51 and extends upwardly in substantial parallellism with the cylinder 3|.

The cap 34 is provided with a hole 59, the wall of which is threaded at its outer end as at 60, and has an inwardly laterally extending annular ange 6| at its inner end. A packing 62 and an adjusting gland nut 63 are received in the hole,

the gland nut compressing the packing between it and said flange against the piston rod and forming a fluid tight joint for the piston rod.

Formed integrally with the cap 34 and supported thereby is a valve casing 65 provided with a tapered bore 66. Arranged for rotative movement in the tapered bore is a tapered valve plug 61 provided with interior passages 68 and 69, having an interior separating wall 10 between them. A series of openings 13 and an opening 14 in the side walls 4of the valve plug 61 communicate with the passage 69, and an opening 15 diametrically opposite to the opening 14 communicates with the passage 68. The lower end of the passage 68 opens into a space 16 in the valve casing beneath the valve plug, and the lower end of the interior separating wall connects with the outer wall of the plug.

There is a passage 11 between the tapered bore 66 and the upper part of the pump chamber. Selective openings 13 register with the passage 11, so that communication between the passage 69 .and'the top of the pump chamber is had throughout all positions of the valve plug.

'I'he valve casing 65 has two ports 18 and 19,

diametrically opposite each other and an intake port midway between the two. On the sides of the valve casingthere are extensions 8|, 82 having passages 83, 84 therein communicating with the ports 18 and 19. threaded boss 85 is provided at the side of the valve casing midway between the extensions 8|, 82 and has a passage 86 therein communicating with the port 80. The internally threaded end of an L 81 is received over the threaded boss 85 and the other end of the same is of a reduced cross-section, as shown at 88.

The upper end of the tube 58 is securely held in a bore 9| in .an extension 92 of the valve casing, andthe bore forms a passage communicating with the passage in the tube 58 and the interior of the valve casing. A check valve 93 in the passage 9| is shown as a ball in the space 16 beneath the valve plug. It is held by gravity against an annular seat 94 at the mouth of the passage 9| to prevent downward flow of iluid in the passage 9| while permitting fluid under pressure in the passage to unseat the balland ilow into the space 16.

The valve plug 61 is provided at the top thereof An externally with a stem 95 to which a handle 96 is xedly secured, as by having a square opening 91 received over a correspondingly shaped end of the stem. The head of a screw 98 threaded into the end of the stem clamps a washer 99 against the handle for holding it to the shaft. A gland nut is received about the stem 95 and is threaded into the end of the tapered bore 56. A packing washer |02 is forced against the top of the valve plug and the sides of the tapered bore by the gland nut |0| for sealing said bore against the escape of fluid.

One end of a hose |05 is received and clamped over the extension 8| and the end of a similar hose |06 is received and clamped over the eX- tension 82. The other ends of the hoses |05 and |06 are provided with connecting attachments |01 and |08 respectively. The connecting attachments are arranged to be securely but removably tted to the beer faucets |2 whereby uid under pressure may be forced through the hoses and through said faucets to avoid leakage and withstand pressure.

One end of a third hose |09 is received and clamped over the reduced end 88 of the L 81. The other end of this hose is provided with 4a connecting attachment ||0 similar to the attachments |01 and |00 and arranged to be similarly securely but removably fitted to the water faucet 20 for feeding water under pressure to the intake port 80.

The attachments |01, |08 and ||0 are of usual construction and are of the type used in connecting hoses to faucets when the ends of the faucets are not provided with threads. The insides of these attachments are provided with resilient walls which resilientli7 hold to the faucets. Straps ||2 about the faucets and connected to the attachments may .aid in holding the attachments in place.

In Fig. 1 the lower ends of the pipes are shown disconnected from the kegs and interconnected, as by having the coupling members I9 thereof fitted, as by a threaded connection I3 to a cross coupling IM. Said cross coupling isshown as having branches ||5 provided with passages ||6 which communicate with each other. The pipes 1 are respectively connected with three of these branches, the fourth being closed by a cap ||1.

When the pipes |1 and their coils 26 are to be cleaned, the coupling members |9 are disconnected from the attachments 2| on the kegs and connected to respective branches of the cross coupling H4, for providing communication between all of the pipes and coils. The attachment ||0 on the end of the hose |09 connecting with the intake port 80 of the valve casing is then fitted on the water faucet 28. The faucet 28 is then opened, the valve plug being in neutral or closed position as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the correspending position of the handle being represented by the dotted outline of the same shown at a in Fig. 4. No iiow of water takes place because the passage 68 communicates only with the space 10, which space is sealed against the escape of the water by the check valve 93 in the passage 9|.

One of the hoses |05, |06, is connected to one of the beer faucets, and this faucet and another beer faucet are opened. The valve plug is now turned through an angle of forty-five degrees toward that side of the valve lcasing 65 from which the hose attached to the beer faucet extends. If the hose |05 is connected to the beer faucet, the valve plug is turned through an angle of forty-five degrees to a .position as represented by the dotted outline of its handle shown at b in Fig. 4. When the plug is in this position the opening in the wall of the valve plug is in communication with the ports 80, 18, and water from the faucet 28 flows through the hose |09, 5 the port 80, the opening 15 and passage 6B, the port 18, hose |05, and through the beer faucet. Thereafter the water flows through the coil and its depending pipe, through the cross coupling I4 and up another of the pipes and its coil and 10 out through the other open beer faucet. This flow discharges the more readily soluble portions of the coating and slime in the pipes. The pump is then operated and air is forced through the passage 9| past the check valve 93 into the space 15.

16 and through the passage 68, where it meets the stream of water and joins with it for increasing the velocity and pressure of the same, agitating the cleaning water, and releasing and discharging additional coating and slime.

When the valve plug is in the position just described the opening 14 in the wall of the valve plug communicates with the port 19 in the valve casing, and several of the openings 13 are in registry with the passage 11. Thus air is drawn in through the hose |05 and feeds through the valve plug into the pump cylinder above the piston. On the upward stroke of the piston the air passes into the compression chamber for being compressed on the next downward stroke of the piston. l

When the stream of air and water has flowed through the two faucets and tubes for a time sufficient to dislodge and carry out of the tubes the larger particles of foreign matter, the beer faucet through which the stream is issuing is closed andthe other one is opened. The stream then moves through the pipe and coil connected with this faucet due to the cross coupling, and both initial rinsing and pressure rinsing are repeated.

This may complete the preliminary cleaning operation or the hose |05 may be connected to others of the beer faucets in turn for reversing the iiow through them for effecting further preliminary cleaning,

The hose |05 has been described as the one leading to the beer faucet and |05 as the hose acting as the air intake for the pump, but it is obvious that if the hose |06 be connected to the 50 beer faucet and the valve plug turned through forty-five degrees from off position to the sideV at which the hose |06 is connected to the valve casing, the same operation will result. The handle of the valve plug is represented in this position by the dotted outline c in Fig. 4.

After the pipes have been thus flushed, the same may be emptied by closing the faucet 28 for stoping the supply of water, and by operating the pump, whereupon the air forced through the pipes clears them of water.

After the initial flushing it is desirable to further clean the pipes and their coils by circulating a cleaning agent dissolved in water through the tubes.

The cleaning agent I prefer to employ is a mixture having an alkaline base dissolved in water and having a solvent action on the coating and slime arising from the beer on the insides of the pipes and their coils, or the coating and slime arising from other beverages.

For cleaning the pipes the valve plug is turned through an angle of degrees from closed position. If the valve plug is turned in one direction the handle for the ysame will occupy the position '(5 represented by the ldotted outline d and if turned in the opposite direction will occupy the position shown by the dotted outline e in Fig. 4.

With the valve plug turned to a position ninety degrees from closed position, the opening 'I5 in the wall of the valve plug is in registry with either of the ports 18, 19, depending on the direction in which the valve plug has been turned, and the port 89 is closed by the side of the valve plug for shutting off the ow of water from the faucet 28.

That one of the hoses i515 or |86 which is connected to the side of the casing toward which the valve plug is thus turned is now connected to one of the beer faucets and this faucet as Well as another of the beer faucets is opened, and the end of the other of these hoses is submerged in a body of liquid containing the cleaning agent, this body being of sufficient volume to substantially fill the pipes being momentarily treated.

The other of the beer faucets is opened to prevent resistance to the incoming flow of the cleaning liquid or solution.

For the purpose of illustration let it be supposed that the hose IDS is connected to the third beer faucet from the left and the valve is turned to the position d as shown in Fig. 4. Then the outer end of the hose ISG is submergedin the cleaning liquid or solution and the pump operated.

Thereupon the liquid is upon downward stroke of the piston drawn by suction through the hose 06, the port 19, the passage 89 and the passage 'H and enters the top of the pump chamber.

i Upon upward stroke of the piston the liquid bypasses the same and enters the compression chamber, from whence it is fed, upon downward stroke of the piston, through the passages 56, 9i past the check valve 93 and through the passage 68, the port 'i8 and through the hose |05 past the beer faucet and into the pipe and its coil.

After several strokes of the piston the pipes and their coils being momentarily treated contain a substantial quantity of the cleaning liquid and the end of the hose |86 is removed from the body of liquid and fastened to one of the others of the beer faucets, shown as the second one of the same in the present exemplication.

With the hoses |86 and |05 connected to the second and third beer faucets respectively, the other beer faucet is closed and the pump operated for circulating the liquid. The action is the same as when the liquid was fed into the pipes, except that the circuit is now closed, and therefore the liquid after passing down through one pipe and its coil and up through the other, feeds back into the upper part of the pump chamber.

This circulating of the liquid continues for a time sufficient to completely remove all foreign matter from the insides of the tubes and coils connected with the second and third beer faucets, whereupon the hose |05 or the hose |05 is removed from the second or third beer faucet respectively and fitted to the first. The first faucet is then opened and the faucet from which the hose was removed is closed. The pump is then operated for again circulating the liquid until the rst pipe and its coil is completely cleaned.

Upon the completion of cleaning of all of the pipes and their coils, one of the hoses r|05, |06 is removed from its respective beer faucet, and the valve is turned to the position b or the position c and, as in the preliminary cleaning operation, the water from the faucet 28 circulates through the passage 68 in the valve plug and through the beer faucet and the pipes and their coils for thoroughly rinsing the same. The velocity of the stream of rinsing water may be increased and the rinsing water agitated by the air forced into the same by operation of the pump, also as in the 5 preliminary cleaning operation, thereby aiding in the rinsing operation.

Upon completion of each of the cleaning and rinsing operations, the pump may be operated for injecting a stream of air into the pipes and their 10 coils and thereby forcing out any of the cleaning agents or water remaining in the pipes and their coils. l

After the pipes and their coils have been rinsed the faucet 28 is closed, the hoses are removed 15 from the beer faucets and the lower ends of the pipes are removed from the cross coupling I I4 and reconnected to the attachments 2| on the kegs, whereupon the system is ready for use in again dispensing beer.

Beer has been exemplified as the beverage dispensed. My invention is not limited to the kind of beverage dispensed, as it is applicable to any dispensing system regardless of the number of dispensing faucets or the beverage being dispensed.

My invention is simple and inexpensive, it enables the small dispenser to maintain clean pipes and coils, it is employable under conditions and in localities where steam cleaning is not avail- 30 able, it permits more frequent cleaning of the dispensing system, and makes the cleaning readily available by simple equipment.

I claim:

1. In means for cleaning the piping including a coil of a dispensing system, the combination of a pump having an inlet port and an outlet port,

a valve casing `oetween said ports comprising a port for a water supply, an inwardly closing check valve for said outlet port, a rotatable valve member in said casing between said inlet port, said water supply port and said check valve, said valve casing having a piping port communicating with said piping, said valve member having a pair of separated passages and a passage port for each of said'passages, a wall of said valve casing normally'closing one of said passage ports, the other of said passage Vports arranged to register with said water supply portl and one of said piping ports, and said check valve having communication with-said other of said passage ports.

2. In means for cleaning the piping including the coil of a dispensing system, the combination of a pump comprising a reciprocating pumping member and a port at each end of said pumping member, a valve between said ports, comprising a body and a movable valve member, an outwardly opening check Valve between said movable valve member and one of said first-named ports, said movable valve member having a pair 0f passages separated by a wall, each of said passages having a passage port, one of said passages having an additional port substantially continuously communicating with the other of said first-named ports, said valve body having a water supply port, said valve body provided with a piping port for said piping, one of said passage ports of Vsaid movable valve member normallyV closed by a wall of said body and registerable with said piping port, and the other of said passage ports of said movable valve member selectively registerable with said water supply port,

combinedly with said water supply port and said piping port, and with said piping port.

3. In means for cleaning the pipingincluding the coil of a dispensing system, the combination of a pump comprising a reciprocating pumping member and a pump port at each end of said pumping member, a valve between said pump ports comprising a body and a movable valve member, an outwardly opening check valve between said movable valve member and one of said pump ports, said movable valve member having a pair of passages separated by a wall, each of said passages having a passage port, one of said passages further having a series of ports selectively communicating with the other of said pump ports, said valve body having a water supply port, said valve body provided with a piping port communicating with said piping, one of said passage ports normally closed by a wall of said body and selectively registerable with said piping port, and the other of said passage ports registerable selectively solely with said water supply port, combinedly with said water supply port and said piping port and solely with said piping port, in which last-named relation one of said series of ports registers with said other of said pump ports.

4. In means for cleaning the piping of a dispensing system, the combination of a pump comprising a reciprocating member, a pump port at each end of said reciprocating member, a valve between said pump ports comprising a body having valve ports communicating with said respective pump ports and a valve plug between said valve ports, opposite sides of said valve body provided with separated piping ports, said valve body provided with a water supply port between said piping ports, an outwardly opening check valve in one of said first-named valve ports, said valve plug provided with passages separated by a separating wall in said plug, each of said passages having a passage port, said valve plug provided with an additional port in one of said passages in substantially continuous communication with the one of said pump ports, one of said passage ports normally closed by a wall of said valve body and arranged to be placed in communication with either of said piping ports by opposite movements of said valve plug, the other of said passage ports normally registerable with said water supply port and arranged to span said water supply port and either of said piping ports by rotation of said valve plug in opposite directions, hoses extending from said piping ports, and releasable connecting means for said respective hoses to connect said hoses to said piping.

5. In means for cleaning the pipes including the coils of a dispensing system having a plurality of faucets, the respective faucets having communication with said respective coils and the respective pipes having normal communication with containers for beverage, of means whereby to disconnect said pipes from dispensing connection with said containers, a coupling between said pipes for connecting communication between the same, a pump comprising a casing and a reciprocating member, said casing having a pump port at each end of said reciprocating member, a valve between said pump ports comprising a body having valve ports communicating with said respective pump ports and a valve plug between said valve ports, opposite sides of said valve body provided with separated piping ports, said valve body provided with a water` supply port between said piping ports, an outwardly opening check valve in one of said first-named valve ports, said valve plug provided with passages separated by a separating wall in said plug, each of said passages having a passage port, said valve plug provided with an additional port in one of said passages in substantially continuous communication with the other of said first-named valve ports, one of said passage ports normally closed by a wall of said valve body andA arranged to be placed in communication with either of said piping ports by movement of said valve plug in opposite directions through an angle of substantially ninety degrees, the other of said passage ports normally registerable with said water supply port and arranged to span said water supply port and either of said piping ports by rotation of said valve plug in opposite directions through an angle of substantially forty-five degrees, hoses extending from said piping ports, and releasable means for selectively connecting said hoses to said respective faucets.

SABATINO PETRICONE. 

